ARC Review: Love Me By Christmas by Jaci Burton

I have enjoyed many books by Jaci Burton over the years, and this one sounded really good. I have to admit I have a thing for romance stories that are on the forbidden side, and this one fit that a little with it being about Ellie and her brother-in-law. While there were things I liked here, this one was just okay.

After losing her husband while pregnant with their son, Ellie moves in with her brother-in-law Nick so that he can help her. Nick and Ellie grow closer over the years, raising her son Henry and coping with their grief together. But when both of them start to feel things for the other beyond friendship, each of them struggles with what that means for their lives going forward. 

I really liked Nick. He was a great guy, sweet and supportive, giving everything he had to Ellie and Henry. He loved those two so much and it was easy to see that his feelings were genuine and weren't out of some sort of obligation. Ellie was where I had problems. At first I really liked her. She had been through a lot and yet she was putting her son first. But as the story went on, she got more and more on my nerves. Her constant pushing Nick away and trying to set him up was beyond frustrating, and I just got to the point that I was sick of it. These two had chemistry and a connection, but Ellie's actions and second-guessing her and Nick's feelings was just too much for me to get over. 

I also felt that while Henry was in this story, he wasn't present. He was always out of the scene or going to someone else's house. It seemed as though he wasn't hardly around, except when it was mentioned about how great Nick was with him. I really would have liked for him to been more a part of the story at the end especially when Nick and Ellie were really starting to make progress. It would have been interesting to see his feelings as their relationship progressed. Overall, this one was okay, but between Ellie driving me nuts and Henry's absence this one wasn't what I had hoped for.

**ARC Provided by Sullivan and Partners**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iTunes |

ARC Review: The Hunt by Monica James

I am pretty new to Monica James, but I knew I wanted to read The Hunt after really enjoying the first book I read from her. While The Hunt is the third Hard Love Romance from her, this book is easily read as a standalone. The only book I have read from Monica James was from a different series, and I didn't have any problems understanding anything here. I do want to go back and read more from her though after finishing this story. I have enjoyed both books I have read from her now, and I can't wait for more. 

Hunter doesn't believe in love and as his friends start settling down, he takes it upon himself to become the player that they all once were. But when he meets Mary, everything changes. Hunter finds himself wanting no one else, the only problem is that Mary hates him and wants nothing to do with him. 

I really enjoyed these two. I thought that they were great and they had me laughing all the way through. Hunter was sexy and had me swooning. He was so smooth and I loved seeing him thrown for a loop with his feelings towards Mary. Mary was easy to like and I loved the interactions between these two. The banter and the way they went back and forth kept me from being able to put this one down. The tension and chemistry between them was so strong and I just loved everything about them for one another. I will admit that they were a bit frustrating at times, but I at the same time I couldn't stop reading and really believed that they were perfect for each other. 

Overall, this was a great story and I think readers are going to love it! Enemies to lovers stories are always a fine line between love and hate, and I felt like Monica James did a great job of giving these characters the perfect amount of tension and chemistry to keep the reader invested in them from start to finish. Not only could you feel the sparks between them, but she really showed that it was more than that and that what these two felt was real and believable. Monica James is an author that is becoming a favorite of mine, and I definitely recommend Hunter and Mary's story. This was a fun read and I'm already anxious for more from Monica James.

**ARC Provided by Sullivan and Partners**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |

ARC Review: Forgetting You, Forgetting Me by Monica James

Forgetting You, Forgetting Me is the first book in the Memories from Yesterday two book series from Monica James. I knew that this was a series, but I didn't really expect for this one to end the way it did. Now that I have finished though, I definitely need the next book ASAP! Monica James had me invested from page one, and I have to know what happens next for these characters! 

Lucy Tucker thought that she had the perfect life. A dream job that she was passionate about, a loving family and great friends, and a fiance that adored her. But when an accident changes everything, it brings her fiance Sam's twin brother Saxon back home. Soon Lucy finds herself torn between her past and the growing connection between her and Saxon. 

I really struggled at times with some of the things that happened in regards to how Lucy was treated. I felt so badly for her and I was so glad that she had Saxon. I don't want to go into too much detail, but my heart broke for Lucy and some of the things that were said to her. She had lost so much and yet she continued to be kicked while she was down. (not actually kicked-there was no abuse here but you know what i'm saying!) I saw so much growth and change here when it came to her and I really loved the realizations that she made about who she had become. I loved seeing her get her fire back and really come into her own. I don't believe that ever would have happened if not for Saxon and all that she was going through. I really loved Saxon as well, and I felt like he got the short end of the stick a lot here too. This poor guy had been portrayed as the bad guy in a lot of ways, and yet the more we got to know here the more my heart broke for him as well. The chemistry and connection between these two might have seemed forbidden in a lot of ways (and that is what originally drew me to this story) but it was so real and genuine and made perfect sense in the end. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and was captivated from start to finish. This book doesn't end with a huge cliffhanger, yet things are definitely far from over. I really hope that we don't have to wait too long for the conclusion as I need to see how things play out here. After reading this one and seeing all that had happened, it was easy for me to choose a side. I really hope that my guy gets the girl, but I also hope that things work out for everyone involved. I do think that one character has a bit of karma headed their way and I am really looking forward to seeing what Monica James has in store for us next. I recommend reading this one, especially if you are a fan of emotional and genuine romance stories.

**ARC Provided by Sullivan and Partners**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N | iTunes |